Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain, Okezie Ikpeazu, has presented his letter of commission to Shaikha Al Nowais, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organisation.

The foreign affairs ministry spokesman, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, said this in a statement on Sunday.

The presentation at UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid on Friday formally accredited Mr Ikpeazu as Nigeria’s permanent representative to the agency. It also marked his formal assumption of duties as the country’s chief envoy to the body.

He said Ms Al Nowais, the first woman to lead UN Tourism in its 50-year history, received the credentials, signalling a renewed phase of constructive engagement between Nigeria and the organisation.

According to him, in a brief meeting after the presentation, Al Nowais commended Nigeria’s active participation in the organisation’s activities.

He said she expressed readiness to work closely with Ikpeazu to strengthen the partnership between Nigeria and UN Tourism.

Mr Ikpeazu was accompanied to the ceremony by Kimiebi Ebienfa, senior counsellor at the Nigerian embassy in Madrid.

“It reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening its engagement with the international tourism community, and advancing its strategic interests within the UN system,” the statement said.

The accreditation positions Mr Ikpeazu to leverage Madrid’s status as the organisation’s headquarters to advance Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy.

Mr Ikpeazu used the occasion to highlight Nigeria’s tourism potential.

According to Mr Ikpeazu, Nigeria’s tourism sector spans diverse cultures, vibrant music, the globally acclaimed Nollywood film industry, colourful festivals and signature seasonal events such as ‘Detty December’, which attract visitors from around the world.

As permanent representative, Mr Ikpeazu will articulate Nigeria’s tourism priorities, foster partnerships with member states, and promote inward investment and technical cooperation within the UN Tourism framework.

The spokesman said the mandate aligns with the government’s economic diversification agenda, which recognises tourism and the creative sectors as key drivers of economic growth and job creation.

He added that Nigeria participates actively in UN Tourism initiatives, including the admission of the Eko Tourism Foundation as an Affiliate Member at the 126th Session of the Executive Council in Toledo, Spain.

(NAN)